Dry Weather Sparks Many Burning Bans * So Far, Lehigh County Fire Officials Have Not Prohibited Open Burning.

Because of the drought emergency, some counties are considering or have declared temporary burning bans.

Schuylkill County Commissioners issued a burn ban for the entire county Wednesday, prohibiting open fires for the next 30 days. The ban goes into effect at noon today. Chairman Forrest L. Shadle said the ban supersedes local burn ordinances.

Carbon County Commissioners have left burning bans up to municipalities and fire companies. Two fire companies -- Penn Forest No. 1 and Lake Harmony -- have instituted bans on open fires, according to the county Emergency Management Agency.

Meanwhile, Schuylkill commissioners have formed a 17-member Drought Emergency Task Force with representatives from throughout the county. Bucks County Commissioners took the same step Wednesday. Carbon County plans to take similar action Monday, commissioners said Wednesday.

The Schuylkill task force will monitor public water supplies. It will not police water restrictions The Bucks task force will monitor the drought situation and advise state officials on whether mandatory rationing would be needed.

Signs of trouble are already apparent. John Dougherty Jr., Bucks County emergency management coordinator and task force member, said some residents in Buckingham and Solebury townships who rely on well water are pumping up brown water.

"It indicates they are bringing up sand or mud into their wells," he said.

Some municipalities in Bucks have adopted water restrictions that are tougher than those imposed by Ridge.

Bucks Commissioner Michael Fitzpatrick said residents must follow the tougher municipal restrictions, which, by law, supersede the ones imposed by the state.

Nick Tylenda, Northampton County emergency management coordinator, sent letters to fire chiefs Tuesday, asking them to support a temporary burning ban.

Ten endorsements are needed to adopt the ban under state law. As of Wednesday, six chiefs supported the request and Tylenda expected more support when his request reaches volunteer fire departments.

Although there have not been many brush fires, Tylenda said, the measure is prudent because of the dry conditions.

Only a few municipalities in Northampton County have declaredtheir own temporary bans on open fires. Washington Township Fire Chief Richard Weaver said his department responded to three brush fires last week and decided it was time to stop all burning until there is significant rainfall.

So far, there has not been a clamor among Lehigh County fire departments for a countywide burning ban.

Vera Cruz Fire Chief Joe Sherman, a patrolman with the regional Department of Forestry office in Valley Forge, mentioned the possibility of a ban to colleagues Tuesday night during a meeting of county fire chiefs. However, only one colleague asked a question about it.

Sherman said that with drought conditions the worst he can remember in at least 19 years, he favors a countywide burning ban. However, given his position with the forestry office, he doesn't want to push colleagues.

"We are in a drought emergency, and the more fires we have the more water we are going to use," he said. "Hopefully, some of the municipalities will realize that we need it. It would be beneficial to everybody."

Lehigh County Emergency Management Director John R. Conklin said the county, through public awareness announcements, can encourage municipalities to declare burning bans.

However, he said, "The counties don't really have any enforcement policies. We don't have a police department or fire marshal to go out and enforce it. It is basically up to the local municipalities."

Lowhill and Upper Milford townships, and Coopersburg are among those agreeing to a local burning ban.

Monroe County's fire chiefs, commissioners and the state Bureau of Forestry will consider an open fire ban at a meeting next Thursday, said Harry Robidoux, director of the Monroe County Office of Emergency Services.

He said a county-wide ban empowers state police to enforce the ban in areas without a local police force. As of Wednesday, 18 of the county's 20 local municipalities had burning bans in effect, he said. Only Jackson and Polk townships did not.

Park officials in Bucks and Montgomery counties took steps Wednesday to ban open fires in county parks.

In Bucks County, visitors still can use portable stoves or the permanent charcoal grills in the parks, but they are prohibited from building cooking fires or campfires on the ground.

Montgomery County established similar rules, but also banned use of portable stoves.